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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel extremely depressed about how Brexit is limiting the lives we once knew.

999 replies

Persiantrio · 31/03/2021 20:10

Presumably now, if you want to go shopping in Paris on the Eurostar, you will have to declare, queue and pay customs on any clothes / goods over a given amount at the border. How crap and inconvenient is that?

Same with any holiday purchases from anywhere in the EU? Not worth it.

Also if you order anything online that happens to come from the EU and costs over over £135, you get hit with massive customs charges of about 40%. Companies like Etsy etc are taking a massive hit as a result.

How is this “taking back control?” Its so depressing and backward. The only reason nobody is kicking off about this yet is because nobody could go anywhere anyway. People don’t realise the freedoms they had and that are now gone. What a shit and insular place to live this will be.

And I don’t wait to hear any predictable ‘vaccine nationalism’ waffle either (because that has nothing whatsoever to do with what I’m asking in this instance and we could have done exactly the same within the EU anyway).

OP posts:
ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 31/03/2021 22:19

If you are up north you can easily fly for aimilar price. Look at lrices from for example Manchester. Twnner to Milan pre covid?
But! It came with overnight stay expense unlike Eurotar trip London-Paris and back

Eee by gum and by heck, I've never heard 'owt about these new fangled ways of travel before now! Thank'ee very much for your wisdom. [tugs forelock]

I said that Europe is not a cheap day trip away if you live up north. What part of what I said was untrue? People I know go to Europe for holidays, but they don't go for day trips to shop in Paris or Milan. Because it's not cheap and involves accommodation etc.

Ohjustboreoff · 31/03/2021 22:19

@Persiantrio oh do get over yourself! You are acting like the world only consists of Europe. Er no there are many other countries out there you know. You talk about getting more bang for your buck buying diamonds in Amsterdam rather than Hatton Gardens! Well go to Israel and you'll get better quality diamonds for less than Amsterdam.
I grew up in the U.K. went to university in the USA and have lived in Mexico, Japan and UAE so it matters not one jot if the U.K. is in the EU or not. Stop being so closed minded and see the wider world.

OppsUpsSide · 31/03/2021 22:19

I think tourism happened before Brexit and will continue to happen after. Europe appeared keen to reopen tourist channels between there and the UK a few weeks ago before C19 took off again, it is in their interest to make it appealing, as it is ours.
I don’t know, it’s done now so no point mithering over it, I imagine it’s like any other change in life, some parts will be better, some will be worse.

Hoorayforsunshine · 31/03/2021 22:20

«However, and here's a thing: I actually think that, in terms of maturity, Britain -certainly England- kind of needs the kicking that's coming its way. We need to learn our place in the world. We have openly, democratically and loudly chosen to diminish our influence in the world. We had a bloody good innings, sitting at many top tables we'd long since lost our right to sit at.»

This won’t happen. Everything will continue to be blamed on the EU as the bogey man and the deal(s) not being the ones that Leavers wanted.

It won’t ever be Brexit to blame it will be ‘Brexit betrayed’. Divorced from reality.

1Morewineplease · 31/03/2021 22:20

It's bonkers that I can get a train that's cheaper to Paris than Birmingham.
But Brexit is here and so I can't bring much back even if I wanted to. Goodbye reams of Provençal fabric, hello faggots!

littlepattilou · 31/03/2021 22:21

PMSL! 😂

Funny thread @Persiantrio! Grin

Miljea · 31/03/2021 22:21

"Miljea
Now we have moved on from the White Heat of Brexit, I understand some stuff more.

I am a committed Remainer; but I do understand that many of the obvious losses people like me feel mean nothing to many, many Leavers.

Up front, buying stuff from the EU has become so fraught with hidden, unknown costs, I'm not buying (and, to my surprise, 😉 Britain doesn't appear to make these things); but, it's quite possible many Leavers neither had the cash or interest in buying such stuff.

Our retirement plans, a villa in Spain, are shot out of the water; however, I imagine most Brexiters had never imagined the possibility. They correctly say they'll still get their week on the Med, though I doubt many will be able to afford it.

My DC can't do Erasmus (and we aren't rich enough to afford Turing); but I guess the possibility of a child doing that wasn't even a consideration for many Brexiter voters.

Your average Brexiter probably had zero interest in the importance of international ties in the worlds of science and research.

Of course, I can plainly see the lies and manipulation that caused people to vote that way. I guess the vast majority had not the faintest concept of how the EU worked (which would explain why the most googled term on June 24th 2016 was 'what is the EU?').

Educated, reasonably well off people like us will, one way or another, weather the oncoming storm.

But my sympathy for the fate of the Tory, Brexiter voter is all but gone.

I feel my life is diminished by Brexit, but the effect is more cultural than financial. Though that hasn't helped. I suspect that once the smokescreen of Covid clears, some nasty realities will dawn. Tho many will take longer than your average shell-fisherman.

HOWEVER, and here's a thing: I actually think that, in terms of maturity, Britain -certainly England- kind of needs the kicking that's coming its way. We need to learn our place in the world. We have openly, democratically and loudly chosen to diminish our influence in the world. We had a bloody good innings, sitting at many top tables we'd long since lost our right to sit at.

But maybe we might, as a country, due to Brexit, along with many other missteps- grow up from our little Englander, flag waving, Rule Britannia mentality.

This spanking may well yet do us good.

Luckily in my family we all hold Antipodean passports... 😂
I literally don’t know where to start with your arrogance and contempt for people who don’t happen to share your view. Leavers don’t have cash to buy EU ‘stuff’ should they wish to do so, only want a ‘week on the med ‘ but probably can’t afford it now ,have no interest in science and research. You need to remove your privileged blinkers .We are educated and would probably be classed as beyond reasonably well off (top 10% income) and we voted for Brexit as did many of of our friends including many Oxbridge graduates so not lacking in education and we are all from working class families so presumably don’t fit your mould of the Tory Brexiteer voter. In fact I am staunch Labour and have never voted Conservative in my life. My dd is at Oxbridge and is a fervent Lexiteer as are many of her friends. I fully accept even now that there were strong arguments in favour of both Leave and Remain which is why so many people struggled to make a decision on how to vote - it was by no means clear cut but people like you who choose to portray everyone who voted differently to yourself as ignorant and ill educated do nothing to further your case."

And breathe.

I never have, and never will engage with user15456765436577.

Give yourself a name that is recognisable, and attributable.

hungrywalrus · 31/03/2021 22:21

This is crappy but even worse is the fact that for everything that isnt covered under a mutual recognition agreement, is now basically not considered to be valid. Or needs to be reinspected or reregistered with the authorities. It’s a massive pain for both sides of the Channel - particularly in the pharma world.

debwong · 31/03/2021 22:21

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

I think OP you are missing the point. Millions of people in the UK are not affluent enough to experience much of the freedom/travel/shopping opportunities. They live in communities where being part of the EU has only brought a massive oversupply of labour and as a result, local labour markets have been undercut on wages by people willing to work a few years & live in overcrowded or poor conditions because they can take their earnings home and get a lot more for them in a cheaper European country.

Like a lot of globalisation, the better off tend to reap many of the rewards but there ARE downsides and they can be concentrated in poorer communities.

I voted against brexit but I can understand why in some parts of the country they really could not see much benefit accruing in their own communities.

Well said. This is an issue the OP clearly doesn't have to be concerned with.
adrianmolesmole · 31/03/2021 22:22

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable

You could even go for just a day and on Eurostar it wasn't that expensive on a day return. No idea what the prices are now, but it was dead cheap, cheaper than even going somewhere in Britain.

Not if you live up north. Those things are only true in London/South East.

What point are you trying to make? Eurostar was cheap so Londoners took advantage, we're not all rich in the capital, believe me.

Northerners used to take easyjet or ryanair to get there. They weren't expensive either.

littlepattilou · 31/03/2021 22:22

[quote Ohjustboreoff]@Persiantrio oh do get over yourself! You are acting like the world only consists of Europe. Er no there are many other countries out there you know. You talk about getting more bang for your buck buying diamonds in Amsterdam rather than Hatton Gardens! Well go to Israel and you'll get better quality diamonds for less than Amsterdam.
I grew up in the U.K. went to university in the USA and have lived in Mexico, Japan and UAE so it matters not one jot if the U.K. is in the EU or not. Stop being so closed minded and see the wider world. [/quote]
This ! ^

Great username by the way. Grin

Miljea · 31/03/2021 22:22

@OppsUpsSide

I think tourism happened before Brexit and will continue to happen after. Europe appeared keen to reopen tourist channels between there and the UK a few weeks ago before C19 took off again, it is in their interest to make it appealing, as it is ours. I don’t know, it’s done now so no point mithering over it, I imagine it’s like any other change in life, some parts will be better, some will be worse.

Looking for that there 'oop side', here!

MimiDaisy11 · 31/03/2021 22:22

This thread makes me dislike brexiteers and remainers.

I mean I know a lot of people on mumsnet are wealthier than average but complaining about shopping trips to Paris or the inconvenience of buying diamonds in the Netherlands are not the way to make people see the limitations that have come from Brexit.

benorjerry · 31/03/2021 22:25

@Persiantrio

So you’ve never been on holiday to a European country and bought souvenirs or whatever?
We did visit other countries quite freely before the Common Market and its subsequent incarnations! Some people even bought souvenirs.
Dilemma8188 · 31/03/2021 22:26

@Miljea Spot on!

ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 31/03/2021 22:27

@Peregrina

So who then was it purchasing all those cheap flights from Easyjet and other budget airlines? It wasn't the rich 10% that's for sure. It was ordinary people who could now have a couple of weeks in Spain or Greece rather than taking a chance on the weather in Blackpool or Torquay as we used to do 50 or 60 years ago.

I also get fed up with people saying that it's just northern (working class) leave voters, who saw immigrants taking their jobs . Some of the highest leave voting areas were those where there isn't much immigration because there is no work for which you can credit Thatcher and later Cameron and Osborne - all people with money behind them. Then there were an awful lot of smug Tories in the South of England who voted leave.

HOWEVER, and here's a thing: I actually think that, in terms of maturity, Britain -certainly England- kind of needs the kicking that's coming its way. We need to learn our place in the world. We have openly, democratically and loudly chosen to diminish our influence in the world. We had a bloody good innings, sitting at many top tables we'd long since lost our right to sit at.

I agree, but a lot of damage can be done in the process.

I agree with this, but package holidays to e.g. Spain aren't really going to be affected by Brexit. People will still be able to enjoy their two weeks in the sun, they'll just have to stand in a different queue at the airport.

And I agree re: brexit voters. Large proportions of wealthy areas in the south voted brexit, so characterizing it as a northern working class thing is bollocks.

I am angry about austerity, about Boris and Farage stoking up racist sentiments, about the job losses we will see, about the potential loss of human rights laws, workers' rights etc. in the UK.

But I couldn't really give a toss about the fact that it's very slightly more difficult to go shopping in Paris and spend more than the duty-free amount.

Graciebobcat · 31/03/2021 22:27

I would agree and was massively anti Brexit but the changes re Brexit have hardly been noticed due to Covid. It's hard to separate what is only due to Brexit. And with various countries complete failure so far on vaccination it's hardly likely that European business can do massively well this year.

TheReluctantPhoenix · 31/03/2021 22:28

I am just not quite sure that I believe the OP is really ‘extremely depressed’ about what she says she is.

When was the last time anyone on here (honestly) declared clothes bought abroad in a non EU country?

Miljea · 31/03/2021 22:28

So, I clicked off here and on to TV.

BBC news. How Brexit is harming the UK. How many businesses are moving warehousing into The Netherlands. And how they're hiring the Dutch to staff them.

'A growing realisation that what was once cheap and easy-now isn't'.

On right now.

Peregrina · 31/03/2021 22:29

In fact I am staunch Labour and have never voted Conservative in my life.

A valid criticism then is that the problem is the shit deal which Johnson and chums have negotiated. It was constantly threatening to walk out and negotiating in bad faith which has helped to land us where we are, plus the lies or simple ignorance of many MPs. Sitting down properly and not being to pig-headed to ask for another extension could have given us time to address some problems. But other problems are just Johnson reneging on promises - like Erasmus, which wasn't confined to the EU. Although anyone who looks at Johnson's behaviour and believes his promises is a bit of a fool.

Hoorayforsunshine · 31/03/2021 22:30

In my industry literally thousands of jobs have moved to Paris/ Frankfurt.

The smart Europeans and foreigners that held these jobs have left the country to follow those jobs, and all their taxes etc have gone with them.

OppsUpsSide · 31/03/2021 22:31

Looking for that there 'oop side', here!

😂 pretty much!

ReceptacleForTheRespectable · 31/03/2021 22:32

What point are you trying to make? Eurostar was cheap so Londoners took advantage, we're not all rich in the capital, believe me.

Northerners used to take easyjet or ryanair to get there. They weren't expensive either.

I was simply making the point that the posters claiming that it was "easy" and "common" to go for a day trip shopping in Paris or Amsterdam were only talking from the perspective of a small proportion of the UK population. Most people in the UK are barred from doing so either by geography or by lack of means. Whether you like it or not, that's the truth.

Holidays to the EU will be pretty much unaffected so they're not really relevant to the conversation. Most holidaymakers are not buying things in excess of the duty free amount to bring back to the UK.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 31/03/2021 22:33

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable

If you are up north you can easily fly for aimilar price. Look at lrices from for example Manchester. Twnner to Milan pre covid? But! It came with overnight stay expense unlike Eurotar trip London-Paris and back

Eee by gum and by heck, I've never heard 'owt about these new fangled ways of travel before now! Thank'ee very much for your wisdom. [tugs forelock]

I said that Europe is not a cheap day trip away if you live up north. What part of what I said was untrue? People I know go to Europe for holidays, but they don't go for day trips to shop in Paris or Milan. Because it's not cheap and involves accommodation etc.

I just want to apologise for all that typos. I have no idea wtf is up with the keyboard and somehow it doea not happen in messenger or whatsapp...😳

I didn't say you said something untrue. Sorry! I was just erm. Thinking out text loud

But you depending where up north you live you can take a day trip to Geneva as I mentioned in next post and there are trips over the canal as well. And some can be really cheap. I haven't looked at travel feom places like Edinburgh (that's proper North, isn't it?) So I can't comment there. But many in The north can get daytrip to mainland cheap as fuck.

That said. I wasn't agreeind with OP moaning really though!

Hoorayforsunshine · 31/03/2021 22:33

«I am just not quite sure that I believe the OP is really ‘extremely depressed’ about what she says she is.

When was the last time anyone on here (honestly) declared clothes bought abroad in a non EU country? «

This is illegal. People have lost licences jobs for not declaring things. So it doesn’t matter whether you actually pay a tax in that scenario, but you’ve gone from just a completely normal purchase to commiting an offence if you don’t déclaré and/or pay customs. So it’s pointless to suggest it’s the same because no one declares.